Development of an integrated network manager for heterogeneous networks using OSI standards and object-oriented techniques

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is using an increasing number of interconnected, heterogeneous telecommunications networks. The FAA is looking at new ways of automating the operations and maintenance activities of these networks in a cost-effective manner in a rapidly changing environment. Open system interconnection (OSI) standards provide a structure for dealing with multivendor systems and network management problems, including mechanisms for monitoring, controlling, and coordinating resources, as well as protocol standards for communicating information about these resources. An example of a standards-based open system for network and services management is a prototype system being developed by the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) and the FAA for managing telecommunications networks and services at Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). This system, the Telecommunications ARTCC Prototype (TAP), is being developed to integrate the various existing communications management capabilities at the ARTCC into a single management system. Following OSI standards and object-oriented techniques provides a concept and structure for a distributed management architecture. The syntax and semantics for management information and functions specified in the standards provide an understanding and definition of the operations to be performed and the information to be collected and communicated. The paper provides an overview of the prototype architecture, describes how OSI standards and object-oriented techniques were applied and interpreted to meet the specific requirements of the ARTCC